Minority-Led

HyperKC owner found freedom in KC’s ‘softest’ tee — and a new career as his own boss

By Tommy Felts / November 27, 2020

If Kansas City has an abundance of anything, it’s wearable pride, said Dave Lindahl.  “Charlie Hustle invented it,” added Lindahl, owner of HyperKC — a local apparel company that channeled the New York-transplant’s passion for KC into an all-inclusive brand that celebrates local artists and serves as a de facto welcome center for out-of-town visitors…

Boutique startup specializing in breast prosthesis for cancer survivors catches attention of KC healthcare investor

By Tommy Felts / November 24, 2020

As the new year rang in 2020, Jasmine Jones envisioned pop-up shops for Cherry Blossom Intimates — an accredited medical facility housed within a lingerie boutique that provides breast cancer survivors with customizable prosthesis.  Eleven months into the unpredictable year, however, Jones innovated the startup into a virtual brand. “I had to ask myself, ‘What would…

TripleBlind earns strategic investment from Accenture to jump into $500B market faster

By Tommy Felts / November 18, 2020

A newly announced strategic investment is expected to boost a high-profile, pre-seed Kansas City startup’s bid to help enterprises harness the potential of sensitive data. Terms of the deal between Dublin-based Accenture and TripleBlind were not disclosed Wednesday, but the investment by the global professional services firm marks a significant step forward for TripleBlind as…

GEWKC conversation: Black women are building tech — but are we building them?

By Tommy Felts / November 16, 2020

A coalition of organizations working to connect early-stage founders to critical resources — with an emphasis on equitable access — is shining the spotlight on Black women in tech during this week’s premier entrepreneurship event series, Global Entrepreneurship Week Kansas City. “Black women are launching businesses at the fastest clip of any racial group. Despite…

Ice Cream Bae serves up first storefront; menu of food concepts already sprinkled across KC

By Tommy Felts / November 12, 2020

A colorful mix of childhood cereals, Eastern Asian-inspired flavors and Instagrammable cones set Ice Cream Bae apart from other ice cream shops in Kansas City, said Adison Sichampanakhone and Jackie Faltermeier.  “We put extra attention into detail with every cone because customers are coming here for an experience, so it has to look perfect,” said…